Göran Söllscher

Biographical Timeline

“A smooth, relaxed playing style, crisp articulation and a tone balancing sweet and dry (perfect for this repertoire) ensures a clarity of projection that allows the listener to grasp the essentials of each piece while ensuring ample space for fantasy to work its magic.”

International Record Review, London, February 2006

Göran Söllscher was born in 1955 in Växjö, Sweden. He grew up in Kalmar on the east coast of Sweden and started to play the guitar at the age of seven. After his musical education, including studies at the Malmö Conservatory (1975–77) and at the Royal Conservatory of Copenhagen (1976–79), Göran Söllscher embarked on an international career after winning the first prize at the “Concours International de Guitare” in Paris, in 1978. He has since appeared worldwide in recitals and concerts with leading orchestras under such conductors as Claudio Abbado, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Sir Alexander Gibson, Sixten Ehrling, Woldemar Nelsson and Esa-Pekka Salonen and makes frequent appearances on radio and television. His repertoire is exceptionally wide, ranging from Renaissance music to well-known standard concertos for guitar and orchestra, to contemporary music often written especially for him.

1979

Recording debut on Deutsche Grammophon featuring works by J. S. Bach and Sor is released in Sweden (Swedish Record Award, Deutscher Schallplattenpreis)

1980

Much acclaimed London debut at Wigmore Hall; concerts in Island, Finland and Denmark. Swedish Record Award for LP with music by Dowland, Barrios and Ponce

1981

Becomes an exclusive Deutsche Grammophon artist. Gives several concerts with the English Chamber Orchestra in Spain and Portugal, performs in England, Germany and Czechoslovakia, and makes a highly successful tour of China with the Swedish Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble. Release of LP Cavatina

1982

Release of LP Greensleeves

1983/84

Releases of Bach complete lute works

1984

First tours to Japan and Mexico. Since then, regular tours in Japan

1987

CD release: works by the Spanish guitarist-composer Fernando Sor

1990

CD release: works by Rodrigo, including the Concierto de Aranjuez, with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

1991

Participates in the “International Homage to Joaquín Rodrigo”, celebrating the composer’s 90th birthday, first in Madrid and later in Puerto Rico

1992

Becomes a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. Tours Germany with recorder player Michala Petri; performances at the World Expo in Seville. CD release: suites and a sonata by J. S. Bach

1993

Three-month sojourn in Japan. Tours Germany with Michala Petri. His recording Paganini for Two, with violinist Gil Shaham, reaches the top ten on Billboard’s chart of the best-selling classical albums in the USA

Released on CD: Here, There and Everywhere, with a selection of Beatles songs which becomes another best-seller

1996

Invitation for a major tour in Japan including appearances as recitalist, as well as duo performances with violinist Gil Shaham and Japanese flutist Shigenori Kudo. CD release: Piazzolla for Two, with flautist Patrick Gallois joining him in tangos by the Argentine master

1998

His schedule includes a tour to Japan and appearances at the Verbier Festival

1999

CD release of Preludes, Songs, Homages, works by Villa-Lobos, Brouwer, Falú and a host of Spanish composers

2000

CD releases: I Hear the Water Dreaming with works by Takemitsu (with flautist Patrick Gallois); From Yesterday to Penny Lane, a follow-up to his earlier Beatles album, coupled with Three American Sketches by legendary arranger-producer, George Martin, and From Yesterday to Penny Lane, seven songs after the Beatles by the famous Cuban composer-guitarist Leo Brouwer

2001

Appearances include performances in Sweden, Germany, Finland and Italy

2002

Becomes professor of guitar at the University of Lund, Sweden

2003

Recital tour with Gil Shaham throughout Europe, followed by a US tour of both artists. CD releases: Schubert for Two, with Söllscher joined again by violinist Gil Shaham

2004

Recitals throughout Sweden and in the Ansbach International Guitar series. CD release: Eleven-string Baroque

2005

Solo recitals in Japan, South Korea, Scandinavia, Germany and Poland and with his new duo partner, Swedish recorder player Dan Laurin in Sweden. Numerous appearances at music festivals throughout Scandinavia. CD release: The Renaissance Album with works by Dowland, Mudarra, Narváez, Neusidler and others

2006

Söllscher concertizes in Scandinavia with the Musica Vitae String Orchestra, the Arctimus String Quartet (tour of North Norway), the Malmö Symphony Orchestra (Villa-Lobos’ Guitar Concerto), at the Karlskrona Chamber-Music Festival (Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjeuz), with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra (Brouwer, Pärt, Hallman). His solo recitals include a programme of Bach, Dowland and the Beatles; he is joined by Dan Laurin in a programme of Bach, Handel, Roman, Barsanti and others

2007

Solo recitals in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Yugoslavia, as well as in Sweden where he participates in several music festivals. On his latest CD and download release, Reverie, Göran Söllscher is joined by Jian Wang in a selection of popular melodies and rarely heard miniatures, ranging from the Baroque to the 20th century, arranged for guitar and cello